Last jack having ejection means



Aug. 27, 1968 K. F. VORNBERGER HAL 3,398,414

LAST JACK HAVING EJECTION MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 :zled June 1, 1967FIG-l FIG-Z IN l/E N TOPS Kor/ E l ornberger Vornberger Arrr Aug. 27,1968 VORNBERGER ETAL 3,398,414

LAST JACK HAVING EJECTION MEANS Filed June 1, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug.27, 1968 K, VORNBERGER ET AL 3,398,414

LAST JACK HAVING EJECTION MEANS 5 Sheets$heet 3 Filed June 1, 1967United States Patent 3,398,414 LAST JACK HAVING EJECTION MEANS Karl F.Vornberger, Tewksbury, and Walter Vornberger,

Medford, Mass., assignors to Jacob S. Kamborian, Newton, Mass.

Filed June 1, 1967, Ser. No. 642,851 6 Claims. (Cl. 12-126) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a last jack adapted to supporta last in a bottom-up position so as to enable various shoemanufacturing operations to be performed on or about the last. The lastjack incorporates an ejection device that is adapted to eject the lastafter completion of the various shoe manufacturing operations.

The illustrative embodiment of the instant invention includes a columnthat is mounted for vertical move ment. The upper end of the column isprovided with a surface adapted to support the top of a last. A last pinis mounted to the column and extends upwardly from the upper surfacethereof so that when a last is placed in a bottom-up position on theupper surface of the column, the last pin may extend into the thimble ofthe last. The dimensions of the upper end of the column are such that aportion of the last extends horizontally beyond the column. A stationaryledge is located adjacent the top of the column and below thehorizontally extending portion of the last so that as the column movesdownwardly, the ledge may engage the last thus precludin downwardmovement of the last whereupon further downward movement of the columnmay cause the last pin to be retracted from the thimble thus enablingthe last to fall.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the machine in which the subject of theinstant invention is incorporated;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the portion of the machine taken along theline 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of the platform on which the last jackis supported;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the last jack and last ejector;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional side view of the last jack and ejectormechanism;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of the last jack in its upper position, having alast supported thereon as viewed along the line 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a rearward view of the last jack just after it has beenmoved downwardly and illustrating engagement of the last with thestationary ledge to dislodge the last from the last jack.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention is herein shown as beingincorporated in a shoe machine of the type shown in FIGURE 1 thefunction and operation of which is disclosed in US. application Ser. No.478,185, filed Aug. 9, 1965. Included in the machine is a platform 10.The last jack 12, which is the subject of the instant invention, issupported on the platform 10 and extends upwardly therefrom.

The last jack 12 consists of an upwardly extending tubular member 14 inwhich a slide 16 is slidably contained for vertical movement. Verticalmovement of the slide 16 is effected by means of a toggle linkage thatincludes an upper link 18 pivoted to the bottom of the slide 16 at thepin 20 and a pair of lower links 22, the lower links 22 being pivoted tothe lower end of the upper link 18 at the pin 24 and the lower end ofthe links 22 being pivoted to the bottom of the tubular member 14 at thepin 26. The toggle linkage is actuable by means 3,398,414 Patented Aug.27, 1968 ice of an air operated motor 28 that is pivotally secured tothe rearward end of the platform 10 by means of a bracket 30 and has itspiston rod 32 pivotally connected to the toggle linkage at the pin 24.An opening 34 is formed in the tubular member 14 to enable the pistonrod 32 to protrude interiorally thereof. It may thus be seen thatactuation of the motor 28 may effect vertical movement of the slide 16and members supported thereon.

A column 36 is threaded into and extends upwardly from the slide 16 sothat the elevation of the column 36 with respect to the slide 16 may bevaried by rotating it within the slide 16. A detent arrangement isprovided for the purpose of maintaining the column 36 in its desired,set position. The detent arrangement includes a spring biased pin 38that is securely positioned within the column 36 and extends radiallyoutward of and beyond the periphery of the column 36 where the end ofthe pin 38 is retained within a vertically extending groove 40 formedalong the interior threads of the slide 16.

A last supporting plate 42, located atop the column 36 has an uppersurface 44 which is adapted to support the top T of the last L when thelast is in a bottom-up position. A last pin 46 is mounted to the upperend of the column 36 and extends upwardly beyond the surface 44 of thesupporting plate 42. The supporting plate 42 and last pin 46 moveheightwise in unision with the column 36 in response to actuation of themotor 28.

Referring to FIGURE 5 the last L is placed on the last jack 12 in abottom-up position with the last pin 46 entering the thimble 48 of thelast L and the top T of the last L resting on the surface 44 of the lastsupporting plate 42. A toe supporting unit 50 may be provided to supportthe toe end of the last L as indicated in phantom in FIGURE 5.

Included in the machine are a number of shoe operating instrumentalitiesamong which are devices that are adapted to rigidly clamp the last L onthe last jack 12 during performance of the shoe manufacturingoperations, After the various shoe operating instrumentalities haveeffected their respective functions and have been returned to their idlepositions the motor 28 is actuated to effect downward movement of thecolumn 36 and last supported thereon. A ledge 52 secured to the rearwardside of the tubular member 14 extends upwardly therefrom to a level thatis just below the level of the surface 44 of the supporting plate 42when the slide 16 is in its uppermost position. The ledge 52 is disposedin proximity to the last supporting plate 42 so that when a last issupported thereon, the ledge 52 may be just beneath a portion of the topT of the last that overhangs the last support plate 42. Thus when themotor 28 is actuated to draw the column 36 downwardly the shoe assemblymay be precluded from the downward movement therewith by reason ofengagement of the ledge 52 with the overhanging portion of the top- T ofthe last thus causing the last to become dislodged from the last .pin 46and last support plate 42 whereby the last pin 46 may be retracteddownwardly out of the thimble 48 of the last so as to enable the shoeassembly to fall from the column 36. The ledge 52 has a laterallyextending surface 54 that is inclined downwardly so as to guide the shoeassembly in its fall in a desired direction such as, for example,towards a delivery chute or a catch bag 56 (see FIGURE 1). The directionin which the last falls is designated by the arrow 58 in FIGURE 7.

We claim:

1. A shoe machine comprising:

a frame having at least one shoe operating instrumentality supportedthereon;

a shoe assembly support supported on said frame and being adapted tosupport said shoe assembly in a first position such that said shoeoperating instrumentalities may perform their respective functions onsaid shoe assembly, said shoe assembly support being so constructed asto enable a portion of said shoe assembly to extend beyond an edge ofsaid support in a substantially horizontal direction;

means mounting said shoe assembly support on said frame for downwardmovement to a second position; and

a retaining ledge supported on said frame and being disposed adjacentsaid edge of but below the upper end of said shoe assembly support whensaid support is in said first position so as to be disposed below saidhorizontally extending portion of said shoe assembly, whereby uponmovement of said shoe assembly supporting means to said second positionsaid shoe assembly may be engaged by said ledge to thereby precludedownward movement of said shoe assembly with said support so as todislodge said shoe assembly from said support and enable said shoeassembly to fall therefrom.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the upper end of saidledge is disposed adjacent the upper end of said shoe assembly supportwhen in said first position thereof and wherein the lower portion ofsaid ledge is inclined downwardly in a predetermined direction wherebyupon engagement of said shoe assembly with said ledge to enable saidshoe assembly to fall from said support, said shoe assembly may fallalong said predetermined direction.

3. A shoe machine comprising:

a frame;

a last support supported on said frame, said last support having anupper end adapted to support the top of said last and a last pinextending upwardly from said upper end of said last support forengagement with the thimble of said last;

said last support being normally disposed in a first,

uppermost position;

said last support being of such dimensions as to enable a portion ofsaid last to extend beyond an edge of said support in a substantiallyhorizontal direction;

a retaining ledge supported on said frame and being disposed adjacentsaid edge of but below said upper end of said last support as in saidfirst, uppermost position so as to be disposed below said horizontallyextending portion of said last; and

means mounting said last support for movement in a downward direction toa second, lower position wherein the top of said last pin is disposedbelow the level of said retaining ledge whereby upon movement of saidlast support to said second position said t 4. last may engage saidledge thereby substantially precluding downward movement of said last toenable said last pin to become retracted from the thimble of said lastwhereby said last may become dislodged from said support and falltherefrom.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the upper end of saidledge is disposed adjacent the upper end of said last support when insaid first position thereof and wherein the lower portion of said ledgeis inclined downwardly in a predetermined direction whereby uponengagement of said last with said ledge to enable said shoe assembly tofall from said support, said shoe assembly may fall along saidpredetermined direction.

5. An apparatus supporting a last comprising:

a pedestal;

a slide, slidably mounted on said pedestal for heightwise movement;

a last support mounted to and extending upwardly of said slide, theupper end of said last support being adapted to support said last, saidlast support being so constructed as to enable a portion of said last toextend beyond an edge of said last support in a substantially horizontaldirection;

a retaining ledge mounted to said pedestal and being disposed adjacentsaid edge of but below said upper end of said last support so as to belocated below said horizontally extending portion of said last;

drive means operatively connected to said slide for effecting downwardmovement thereof to a level wherein the upper end of said last supportis disposed below the level of said retaining ledge whereby upondownward movement of said slide said last may engage said ledge therebyprecluding downward movement of said last to cause said last to becomedislodged from said last support and fall therefrom.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the upper end of saidledge is disposed adjacent the upper end of said last support andwherein the lower portion of said ledge is inclined downwardly in apredetermined direction whereby upon engagement of said shoe assemblywith said ledge to enable said shoe assembly to fall from said support,said shoe assembly may fall along said predetermined direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,724,844 Ill/1955 Seabury et a1.12-l26 X 2,896,233 7/1959 Markham et a1. 12-126 X 2,908,921 10/1959 Kant121 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

